Flames
by Gemini Solitudo
Summary: Some M. Sakuro once offered the new Craftlord of Iron to explore the world with him. He refused. Two years as reign as Craftlord, Sakuro visited Wystern once again. This time, his offer accepted. This is the story, 4 years later. The past inescapable.
1. Chapter 1

**May have some M scenes later on. Cleru's name is Xil'arc, Sugar's name is Milli. Enjoy!****  
**

**Flames**

**Chapter 1**

"_**The origins of my power are the flames of hatred… It is the agony of Sanary that empowers me."**_

_If 'great sense of foreboding' was used for anything before, then I can use it again certainly._  
"_Sanary's…?" I heard myself rasp. I could have easily blamed it from the exhaustion of battle. _

_But it wasn't._

_ I don't remember the battle really well. Milli was beside me, I was slashing at Parista with possibly the most magnificent weapon I would ever hold._

_ And her. Sanary. In a green aura, her hatred for me, fuelling Parista. _

_ And then…turning out that she still…_

_-------- _

"Master?"

Xil'arc blinked, awake at a moment's notice.

"Are you okay?" Milli said with concern, "I hope you are feeling well, maybe we should tell Master Sakuro?"

"Milli, I don't know what you're even talking about." Xil'arc said good-naturedly, waving her out of the way and sat up.

"You were shifting in your sleep."

Xil'arc waited for Milli to continue, when she didn't, he turned to face her with his face disbelieving and exasperated. "You worry too much, Milli."

Milli's eyebrows lowered to the centre, "You called out Sanary, Master Xil'arc…I hope you aren't having some sort of unfaithful dream."

"Milli!"

"You were groaning and sweating…"

"_Milli!_"

"Well, as your wife-"

"I see you two are awake." A familiar voice interrupted. Xil'arc turned, "Master Sakuro! Oh…you brought us breakfast?"

"Last night's dinner, rather, but yes. And remember I'm no longer a Craftlord? No longer Master Sakuro."

Xil'arc grimaced, "Sorry. But anyways. Curry _again?_"

"Indeed. Perhaps I should learn how to make something else."

"Funny how we manage to learn about weapons and see the world, but never learn other foods." Xil'arc replied dryly. Sakuro smiled and leaving the curry there. After brushing his teeth and washing himself, Xil'arc settled down to eat. Or, to put it more accurately, sat down, defended himself against Milli from a range of different things and tried to swallow curry they've had since they left Wystern. The only thing they learned how to cook- and thus the only thing they cooked when they were not at a city inn.

And it's been this way for about four years. Since they left Wystern, it's been four years since the two years he's been as Craftlord of Iron…

Xil'arc, still grinning exasperatedly at a fussing Milli, spooned another mouthful of curry.

The curry today was extra spicy, too much spice…did Sakuro add too much? His tongue was on fire.

--------

**Remember to review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Flames**

**Chapter 2**

_"…They say you tease the one you love."_

_My heart pounded; did I really just say that? __**Sanary!**__You fool!_

_He stared at me with his innocent blue eyes wide, "What's that you said?"_

_…What I said that night…I didn't lie. I don't lie in front of the observatory. I understood how my sister felt… If one day he left me… I would cry… and be weak. So weak, I don't even want to begin imagining. That's why I was so afraid… so afraid that he would leave me…after Parista captured me. Surely, _surely_ someone would have told him it was a trap. He wouldn't have come, knowing that. He would have wanted to become a Craftlord- that's his dream. He wants to be like Shintetsu, his father… and there's no one to do it better than him…with his big caring heart…but strong…stronger than I'll ever be. He would leave me alone…_

_I love him so much. _So_ much…_

_"N-No, it's nothing. Let's go!"_

_He frowned in his cute way, "What? What did you say, Sanary?" His eyes were childish, probing. They would get the truth out of me, if he continued his gaze._

_"I told you it's nothing! Cut it out!"_

_That afternoon…was the first, and last, afternoon that we'll spend together. Alone. Happily._

_-----_

_"You're with a younger guy then, I see. I didn't know it would be your type."_

_"What are you even talking about, sister?" I glared at Kouren._

_She sighed, "You know I mean the best for you, Sanary. I do wish…you'd be back to normal."_

_"Do you have prejudices against Xil'arc?" I demanded, slamming my spoon down on the table. Fuck her bullshit about being normal…when she wasn't herself! _

_Kouren placed her own fork and knife on the table elegantly, surveying me with her light smirk, "You admit to liking the boy then. That's good; I thought you were going to be too strong for any relationship, really."_

_I stood up- if Kouren only came to my workroom to berate me... I think she realized my anger; Kouren's expression sharpened, "I like Xil'arc, Sanary. I know you think that I may have prejudice against him because he is the son of Amariss…but he is also the son of Shintetsu… He has placed and broke all restraints to save you- his Craft skills is extraordinary, forged with something that I'll never have again…proved by his name of Craftlord. He is a good boy. But I say boy, Sanary, because you know the people of Wystern…will never want a weird circumstance of an older girl with a younger boy. It goes against tradition…and people will…"_

_I knew that. _

_"I don't care!" I turned away from the table and ran. I didn't want to care. I didn't want to… _

_"No, but you will." My sister said behind me, somehow, as quietly as she said it- I heard it perfectly clearly. My heart sunk at that point, but I still had hope bigger than the foreboding. At that point._

_-----_

_"Where've you been? I've missed you." _

_Xil'arc. I can recognize his voice anywhere. I turned around, "I'm always here. At the observatory."_

_"Not always, I must have checked a dozen times today." He pouted slightly, it was unintentional. I love that about him…he's so…innocent…and real._

_I smiled, "Well I'm here now. So, Master Xil'arc, why are you visiting me?"_

_"Don't call me that…and…well, I was bored…and I also remembered before our battle you said you would tell me something afterwards. You never did."_

_I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I can't lie in front of the observatory…but can I stay silent?_

_"Tell me, Sanary. And exactly what you said, that time we were at third level after I defeated Varil…" He came closer and I took a half step backward, staring at him. My face was burning._

_"Well?"_

_"…"_

_"Because, I think…I think what you meant to say…was that…"_

_My heart pounded, it always did, around him. But now it was leaping at 100 miles per hour._

_He never said it; he just flashed his boyish smile and kissed me. I mean that in possibly the lightest way I can qualify to use that term. It was more like a light brush._

_He pulled back, flushing and his expression solemn before he grinned triumphantly. "Am I right?" _

_"That…That wasn't FUNNY!" I hollered, flushing. I don't remember much after that. I ran away. I didn't look back._

_After that, we…'hanged out' a lot closer together._

_A lot closer. But we never tried that again._

_-----_

_"I wonder if the Craftlord of Iron just follows his 'big sister's' lead?"_

_"I bet she's just aiming to take over Master Kouren as Craftlord of Ruby through Master Xil'arc!"_

_"Youngest of them all, truly the most_ shameless_. I don't want to imagine the future."_

_"And the most rash too, obviously."_

_"I wonder if Bron sanctions this."_

_"Hmph, just imagine them in their guild every day and night…"_

_These sorts of comments soon followed us, everywhere we went out together in daylight. Too soon. Many times I had to hold down Xil'arc for him not to pummel the people. And myself, my hand had cramps from holding them in a fist. We didn't see each other under daylight after a few weeks and the ugly words stemmed and eventually stopped. We almost got caught talking in the observatory once, if not for a quick dash to the third floor teleporter and going to the much lower levels._

_Then, we didn't see each other at all. I cried a lot. In my own craftroom. There were rumours of Xil'arc hanging out and flirting with Mariel and Ariel. I didn't believe them. But soon the three of them got into this great gossip love triangle all around Wystern. It didn't cease, getting wilder and wilder._

_And he never came to tell me off about it. Again, I didn't see him at all._

_He left me alone. _

_I remember that night, by the heat of the forge I just broke down, my sweat and tears mixed. I cried and cried. _

_My heart burned. He left me alone._


End file.
